Lulu Mupfumbu, choir director, said about 55 people, including some students from Washington Adventist University, Takoma Park, went on the trip to support the work being done through Adventist Community Services Center in the area.

Olivia Stanley, 16, a junior at the high school, said she was surprised by some of the damage she saw.

“We went to where the boardwalk was and it was nonexistent. There was a car buried in sand,” she said.

Her group went to a Red Cross tent and sang and prayed with the people, she said.

“It seemed like something little but when you saw the smiles on their faces, and they thanked you, you knew what you really did,” Anthony said.

Elementary school students from St. Andrew Apostle Catholic Church, Silver Spring, offered their help to those in need by collecting clothes, cleaning supplies, toiletries, towels, blankets, grocery gift cards and monetary donations to send to St. Benedict Catholic Church in Holmdel, N.J.

Additionally, parishioners at St. Andrew Apostle donated funds to help purchase about $8,000 worth of canned food and fresh fruit. Another donation secured the purchase of $1,000 worth of undergarments.

Students helped load the truck Nov. 9 and adult members of St. Andrews drove it to New Jersey for the delivery.